Itachi-Shattered Ones
by Hilseo
Summary: Itch's last thoughts before fighting his little brother. I thought the song was especially fitting.


**Hope you enjoy this. Written in Itachi's honor.**

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto, nor the song "Shattered" by Trading Yesterday (Listen to it. If you like slow, hopeful songs, then go and listen. The chorus are awesome.)

 _XxX_

 _Yesterday I died_

 _Tomorrow's bleeding._

 _Fall into your sunlight._

The time had come.

All he had ever done, all he had ever faked and planned lead to today, the day he would finally get what he deserved.

Death.

Punishment.

Or was it Freedom ?

Itachi didn't know anymore. Or rather, it didn't matter anymore, so why should he waste what little time he had left to ponder over it ? He was going to die, anyway. His life, is future had never mattered. Not to him. And he had killed all those who would have cared. Sasuke did care, in a way. He wanted to make sure he died by his hands, exactly like Itachi had planned.

But the boy must never know it.

Let him remain in the lies Itachi put up for him, so that he can gain some piece of mind after today. Let him remain oblivious to the hatred and evil of the Uchiha clan. Let the disgrace be forgotten and everything start anew. A new brighter future for his beloved little brother and his friends.

 _The future's open wide_

 _Beyond believing._

A future where he wouldn't exist.

A future where his shadow would cease to haunt the Konoha shinobis, the kyuubi jinchuuriki and Sasuke.

It had to stop.

And it would today.

He made sure of that.

 _To know why_

 _Hope dies._

Sitting alone in the dark room underground, Itachi allowed his emotionless mask to fall, one last time. If any shinobi were to see him at that moment they wouldn't be able to believe what they would see. For suddenly the S-ranked criminal, deathly Akatsuki member, most feared shinobi in the world looked far older than he was, wise beyond his years, as if he had lived for too long. Disillusioned, regretful, desperate and faltering in bearing the world's future on his shoulders.

Like he had done the past ten years or so, without shedding a tear as he went through a life he despised. It was time he could finally step down and rest, leaving the future in younger, more innocent hands than his own.

 _Losing what was found_

 _A world so hollow._

 _Suspended in a compromise._

He was tired.

So damn tired.

He wanted the lies to end.

He wanted to be able to hold his little brother close again, to tell him everything was alright; to be able to protect him, to care for him without hiding. How he longed for a happy future for him and Sasuke.

He would wake up at dawn to prepare breakfast for his little brother; he'd wake him with a gentle stroke on his hair and Sasuke would growl for him to stop. They'd eat together and leave for their respective missions. Then they would come back and share their joy, regrets, fears. And Itachi would comfort Sasuke, knowing what he was going through. They would train together, and Itachi would always end up pocking Sasuke's forehead. And Sasuke would never avoid it. He would watch after Sasuke, watch as he made it through the ranks and become a very powerful shinobi. They would stay together until either of them got married. But even after they would still care for each other. Just like old times.

But that was a dream he had given up long ago, when he put on his ANBU gear for the last time, when his katana went through the flesh of the first Uchiha. And through the last.

 _The silence of this sound_

 _Is soon to follow._

 _Somehow_

 _Sundown._

He couldn't go back. He mustn't. He already went so far. Nothing could change now, his fate was already sealed. And although he wished he could change it, he wouldn't.

He couldn't run, not when the world was at stake. How much he wished someone else had to shoulder it.

 _And finding answers._

 _Is forgetting all of the questions_

 _We called home._

Itachi allowed his mind to wander down the road of his memories. So little happy ones, so many hated ones. He could never forget anything. He'd never wanted to.

 _Passing the graves of the unknown._

He felt everything was his fault. He had been completely powerless against time and fate. He hadn't been able to find a good solution, and it resulted in the Uchiha massacre. He deserved it all, he thought. He had no right to take so many lives. No one should be able to kill.

 _As reason clouds my eyes_

 _With splendor fading._

 _Illusions of the sunlight._

His childhood had been an illusion, he realised. As had been Sasuke's. Stolen by selfish people willing to go to hell to obtain the power they thought they deserved. But even so, those people had once been family. You don't harm your family.

His only reason to live through that night had been Sasuke. Having to be hated by his beloved little brother was killing him more and more each time they faced each other. Always pretending to be nothing but a heartless murderer...consumed by hate and power.

 _And a reflection of a lie_

 _Will keep me waiting._

 _With love gone_

 _For so long._

The sun would soon begin to set. And he knew by the time night would fall-he'd be dead.

After today, he could only trust his brother to defeat him, the one scheming it all. The man responsible for all this trouble, this curse of hatred. If only he had been stonger then, he thought. He could've killed him. And Sasuke wouldn't have had to deal with such pain. If only everything had turned out differently...

 _And this day's ending._

 _Is the proof of time killing_

 _All the faith I know._

 _Knowing that faith, is all I hold._

Strong, determined footsteps echoed in the hallway, so near yet so far, so out of reach. He knew Sasuke would become the true shinobi Itachi had so desperately wanted to be, yet never could. Even if he still had his doubts. He could only hope those loyal teammates of his would pull him towards the light-where he deserved to be, far, far away from the cruel shadows Itachi found himself trapped in at the tender age of four. He had been a child at that time, despite being a genius. He had been innocent. Why did they feel the need to drag him where no child should grow up ? The fact that he was a genius didn't mean he was already a grown-up. Didn't mean he didn't need a childhood. And the result of that was the lonely shinobi sitting here alone, actor, liar of his own life, ready to put on his lifeless mask.

One last time.

And then let go forever with a smile.

He knew what would happen. Hell, he had planned it all. Every. Single. Detail. He had been preparing himself for that moment for the last ten years. So...

Why did it hurt so much...?

 _And I've lost who I am_

 _And I can't understand._

 _Why my heart is so broken, rejecting your love_

 _Without, love gone wrong, lifeless words carry on._

 _But I know, all I know, is that the end's beginning_.

Why...?

Why did it have to be him...?

He had been so utterly powerless. Itachi didn't felt angry, or bitter.

He was sad, and resigned. What happened in the past couldn't change. What's done is done. No need to dwell over it. He knew it all too well, yet he couldn't help but wonder why.

Was it some kind of superior being who thought it to be fun messing with mortals' lives ? Or had all this already happened in the past, a thousand years ago, and History was just repeating itself ? Or was it that the clan was cursed, ever since its foudation, and after countless times of refusing to atone the time had come for punishment ? Was that it ? He couldn't understand anymore.

 _Who I am from the start_

 _Take me home to my heart._

 _Let me go and I will run_

 _I will not be silent._

Whatever it was, no matter how confused he was, he would not give up. He would make sure his little brother had a future. He would not change his plans. But even so...that doesn't mean he didn't wish he could. He would die by his brother's hands tonight. He had waited for ten long years. He would not run now. Sasuke hadn't run. Despite knowing all those times he wasn't strong enough, despite that tiny part of him that still considered Itachi his beloved elder brother...Each time he had charged at him woth everything he had. Knowing he might not get out alive. Exactly like today. Except this time, the winner of this fight was already decided and the one defeated would die. And Sasuke would walk away, and live the rest of his life peacefuly, knowing he had fulfilled his dream and his clan could finally rest. One chapter would end, and a new one would begin. It wouldn't be the end.

 _All this time spent in vain_

 _Wasted years, wasted gain._

 _All is lost, hope remains_

 _And this war's not over._

Itachi let out a lifeless laugh, as his damaged eyes focused on the dark ceiling. He was broken, wasn't he...? All this time...He had always been. Always hid it behind a mask he had never taken off until tonight. And it was hard to see all the damaged dealt to him by the past, whose shadow would never stop to follow him. He could never look at the future. After all, he wasn't a part of it. He belonged to the darkest part of the past, he was a threat to the world. The very essence of lies and betrayal. He didn't deserve to live.

He had accepted that fact, long ago. That didn't mean he felt nothing about it. Feelings no one would ever know about. No one but himself. A lonely tear rolled down his face.

The first since ten years ago.

And the last of a lifetime.

 _There's a light, there's the sun_

The footsteps grew closer, and Itachi understood his time was up. Slowly, the emotionless mask took over, once more. The tear wiped out, the sadness hidden. Burried deep under his lie. Never to come into light again.

 _Taking all shattered ones_

The soft sound stopped, and his little brother came into view. Itachi felt guilt and despair settle in his heart. He had grown so much. He instantly knew Sasuke was strong enough to defeat him. Even if he would have to push him way past his limits. All went well, despite the Orochimaru part. Sasuke had turned out like he wanted him too, maybe a little too bitter. And uncaring.

 _To the place we belong_

But that could still change. Itachi trusted his teammates to soften him again, while keeping him strong. He knew they would.

 _And his love will conquer all..._

The ghost of a smile made his way to his face. Sasuke would give him his all. He didn't know his elder brother intended to lose.

The battle in itself didn't really matter.

One of them was already dead.

 _Yesterday I died_

 _Tomorrow's bleeding._

He opened his eyes.

The time had come.

"Welcome, foolish little brother..."

 _Fall into your sunlight._


End file.
